


Stuck Sick on Lupercalia

by WolfAndHound_Archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Marauders' Era, Romance, Smut, mating for life, porn without plot/plot what plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:29:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WolfAndHound_Archivist/pseuds/WolfAndHound_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, even the best of plans are interrupted by things like bouts of illness, which have the worst timing in the world to strike.  Sirius and Remus discover this unfortunate fact of life on the Lupercalia of their sixth year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stuck Sick on Lupercalia

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Lassenia, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Wolf and Hound](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Wolf_and_Hound), which was created to make stories posted to the Sirius_Black_and_Remus_Lupin Yahoo! mailing list easier to find. However, even though I still love the fandom, I am no longer active in it and do not have the time to maintain it. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in December 2015. I posted an announcement with Open Doors, but we may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on the [Wolf and Hound collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/wolfandhound/profile).

TITLE: Stuck Sick on Lupercalia

AUTHOR: Maple Tide

E-MAIL: mapletide@fastmail.fm

DISCLAIMER: The characters involved that are from the Harry Potter universe are the property of J. K. Rowling and all associated publishers (including Scholastic Press, Bloomsburg, and Raincoast). I'm just borrowing them for my own nefarious purposes. The plot involved, any stray characters that may crop up, and any other things that don't belong to her belong to me. I'm not seeking to make any money off of this; rather I'm going it for fun and for the chance to get it out of my own imagination before it drives me even more insane. Understood? =) Good.

RATING: NC-17

CATEGORY: Romance, Humor, Angst

KEYWORDS: Remus, Sirius, Lupercalia, 6th Year

PAIRINGS: Remus/Sirius, with vague references to James/Lily, Peter/OFC, and OFC/OFC.

SPOILERS: PoA, if that

ARCHIVE: Marauder Me. Wolf and Hound. Azkaban's Lair.

FEEDBACK: Please? I can be reached at mapletide@fastmail.fm

SUMMARY: Sometimes, even the best of plans are interrupted by things like bouts of illness, which have the worst timing in the world to strike. Sirius and Remus discover this unfortunate fact of life on the Lupercalia of their sixth year. (RL/SB)

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story is part of Moonlight and Shadow canon, which unfortunately does not even remotely resemble actual canon anymore, now that OotP has... changed things. However, I have no desire to give it up, so from here onward, these stories will be labeled as A/U. In addition to that, this story is also blatantly a Lupercalia story. I wasn't expecting this idea to occur to me when it did, and it's been languishing over a year waiting for me to finish the final couple of scenes, but it's finally done. Many thanks to the person on SBRL who reminded me of it. **sheepish grin**

Happy belated Lupercalia, everyone!

**~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~**

_'Reeeeeemus...'_

Remus Lupin gritted his teeth and continued scribbling notes along with the lecture Professor Dartmouth was giving on the dark magics that created a dementor. There was a sniffle at the back of his mind that he tried his best to ignore. Ever since Sirius had taken ill and been sent off to the hospital wing, he had been incorrigible.

He suspected that it was due in part to boredom.

_'Remus... will you tell Bella that she's being bloody boring...?'_

He snorted faintly, _'No, Padfoot, I still retain my desire to live, thank you very much.'_

_'But Moony--'_

"Mr. Lupin, would you care to explain to me what's so amusing back there?"

He looked up sharply to find her watching him with a rather amused expression on her face. He frowned slightly; she probably knew, or at least suspected exactly what was going on at the moment. Especially since she had been the one responsible for separating them for a period of two weeks when they couldn't manage to keep out of each other's minds during her classes.

_'Or any other for that matter,'_ Sirius snickered. _'Mmmm, those were the days.'_

_'You're not helping,'_ he muttered to Sirius before clearing his throat and answering her, "No, Professor."

_'What do you mean, I'm not helping?! Of course I'm helping.'_

_'I can't think when you do that. Shut up,'_ he growled.

There was a wicked laugh that was present just at the back of his mind as he managed to turn his attention back to Professor Dartmouth with a smile gracing his lips. She winked at him, then asked, "Then, Lupin, would you mind telling me the only known charm that helps to control a Dementor?"

"Expecto Patronum," he responded without missing a beat. "The Patronis, which is the cumulative energy produced by thinking of positive things are the only thing that the Dementor cannot abide by, and they flee. It is the only thing they are known to be afraid of, and only a powerful magic cast by an Empathic Wizard can kill them."

"Thank you, Mr. Lupin," she smiled. "Fifteen points to Gryffindor."

He bowed his head amid the cheers, and raised both his hands to either side to exchange high-fives with Peter and James, who were on either side to him. Dariele just turned and shook her head at him. Their attention was all caught by the feeling of a dark glare on them, and just when they turned, it faded.

_'Snape being a prat again?'_

_'When isn't he?'_

_'Good point. Hmm. Want me to hex him when I get out of here? I will, you know.'_

_'I think I am perfectly capable of hexing him myself, thank you, Sirius. Though I do appreciate the thought.'_

_'What kind of mate would I be if I didn't try to protect you whenever I got the opportunity?'_ Sirius made a playful growling noise at him that was a definite distraction. With effort, Remus dragged his mind back onto the lesson.

It wasn't fair. Really it wasn't, Remus mused below the surface of the mindlink that he and Sirius had shared for almost a year and a half now. It was Lupercalia tonight, and of all the nights that Sirius could have fallen ill, it had to be this one, the night when both he and the wolf came as close to agreement as possible, and wished to be as close to their chosen mate as possible. He pulled a face, and made doodles along the edge of the piece of parchement he was making notes upon.

Particularly with Sirius doing things like that. Somehow that made it even less fair. Had this been a normal day instead of one where Sirius had been dragged kicking and screaming off to the hospital wing due to a severe illness that Pomfrey had felt the need to dose him with potions of all varieties and flavours, they would have taken a break after this class, as it was an extra long time until Potions, and stopped in one of the hiding places all over the school for a shag.

_'We could have even gotten started in class,'_ Sirius grumbled, hearing that last thought.

_'You mean, we haven't anyway?'_ Remus asked him with a wry smile.

_'Well, yes, but it's not like we can do a bloody thing about it,'_ Then there was another low growl, one of irritation, and one that Remus happened to agree with wholeheartedly. Although, since the bond had formed, Sirius's already present habit of growling had gotten worse, so it led Remus to wonder, not for the first time, whether or not that had anything to do with it.

_'Not at all, Moony,'_ came the flippant response. _'It's not my fault you're a sexy beast that inspires growls at any given opportunity.'_

A mischievous smile playing about his lips, Remus took that moment to growl at him through the mindlink, and heard the grumble and complaint in response. Then he smiled a little more, and commented, _'Now you knows how it feels when you do this.'_

A mischievous smile playing about his lips, Remus took that moment to growl at him through the mindlink, and heard the grumble and complaint in response. Then he smiled a little more, and commented, _'Now you knows how it feels when you do it.'_

Sirius sighed, _'I didn't want to get sick on Lupercalia, love... it's not my fault._

_'I know... now try to get some sleep, will you?'_

_'I don't dare!'_ he exclaimed. _'With this class on Dementors, I don't dare stop paying attention for five seconds. You know it's probably going to be on the N.E.W.Ts and she's going to test us over it, and the last thing I ever want to lose points on is something involving Dementors. I hate those bloody things...'_

Sirius's shudder rippled through the link, and Remus privately agreed with him.

Peter leaned over then, "Sirius driving you mad?"

James heard him and snorted, "I think they're both nutters by now. No offense, Remus, but if I had to listen to that berk blithering on in my head at all hours of the day and night, I know I'd be a candidate for St. Mungos."

Remus snorted lightly.

_'Oi! I'm going to get them both for that. Just as soon as I get out of here. Will you help me, love? All you have to do is hold James while I throw hexes so he won't get away. Or at least until I cast Petrificus Totalis, anyway. Then you can let him go and I'll hex him from here to London and back.'_

Remus fought a smile; in his agitation, Sirius's Irish was showing rather badly, and even the mental voice that echoed with irritation was barely understandible under it. To one who didn't know him. Fortunately, Remus knew him rather well. Well enough so that he knew every word under it, and had to keep from laughing at it all, to keep from attracting Dartmouth's attention for the second time that lesson.

_'What are you going to do to Pete, then?'_

_'Wormtail? Eh, I'll let him go for now, and then I'll pounce when he's least expecting it. He'll never know what hit him. Bwahahaha.'_

_'Siri-love, I think you're delirious.'_

_'Rem, I **know** I'm delirious, but you don't see that stopping me one bit, do you? No, I shall have my revenge.'_

Remus snorted and stared to respond when he saw out of the corner of his eye a slender hand reach out and barely brush against the sleeves of James's robes. His attention was riveted instantly to the front of the room again. Dartmouth was looking at the four of them with an amused expression, "If I have everyone's attention now, I would like to finish the lesson for today. If there are anymore disruptions, I might have to steal back those House points I just gave."

"Yes, Professor," the three of them chimed, and Remus watched as James shot Lily a grateful smile. She just smiled and winked at him.

_'Ah, so Evans saves the day again. What's going on now?'_

_'Don't know yet.'_

"As I am certain you all are aware if you read the Daily Prophet, the Dementors have recently taken sides with Voldemort's army, so I think if you all wish to keep your souls firmly intact, I would suggest that you listen to this lecture quite intently," Professor Dartmouth said, her voice like ice as she slid on top of her desk, revealing the Muggle trousers beneath her robes.

The room went dead silent, and Remus could almost feel Sirius quivering on the other end of the link. As he reached out a purely mental hand to his mate, he caught sight of James and Lily doing the same thing even as they took notes. It was made an easy thing by the fact that James was right-handed and Lily was left. Dari looked around edgily, and Remus got the feeling that she was wishing that this course was one they shared with the Ravenclaws.

They had until this year, when they had shuffled things up, and it was having a detrimental effect as Dari slumped slightly in her chair. Peter and Ariena completed the bunch with the latter practically climbing in the former's lap, but needless to say, Bella had their absolute attention then.

"Now, what we are going to do over the next several weeks is practice learning the Expecto Patronum charm. This is on the Headmaster's Orders. You will all participate. There will be no arguments. None whatsoever. When you all get this down, then I will provide a target for you to test the strength of them upon."

There was a sound of derision from the other side of the room, and as one, the Gryffindors' eyes moved to train on the dark haired sixth year Slytherin who was seated next to Severus Snape. When he finally spoke, Remus recognised him, as did Sirius, which brought a growl forth.

"Surely, Professor, you do not suggest on bringing one of those Dementors on the Hogwarts campus. You of all people know Headmaster Dumbledore's feeling about those creatures that the Dark Lord has pulled to his side. You aren't going to terrify some of our more frail students with such a thing, are you? I'm fairly certain some of them won't be able to take it," came the words of Michael Covington, and his eyes trained on Peter, in the midst of their group.

Peter's expression swiftly became one of anger, and he grasped his wand, and would have hexed the Slytherin from where he was seated until Ariena murmured something, and he relaxed. James leaned over without letting go of Lily's hand and Remus's keen hearing picked up a "He's not worth it, mate. Let it go. Just let it go."

_'Bloody bastard...'_ Sirius growled in the back of Remus's mind, and he couldn't bring himself to disagree with him in the slightest.

_'Next prank, Padfoot, and he's ours.'_

"That is a question I was prepared for, as a matter of fact, Covington. I would give you five points for being the one to ask, if it wasn't for the tone of utter insolance that you delivered the question in. Might I remind you that I am still your professor, and as such, I am due a miniscule amount of respect while you are within my classroom? Five points from Slytherin, and take care not to cross me again today, else I make it twenty-five."

He scowled, "But Professor, that still doesn't answer the question I had."

_'Can you believe Hope dated that arse for a while? I love the girl like a sister, Remus, I swear, but I had to really question her judgement at the time.'_

_'Personally, I couldn't believe it at the time. I definitely can't believe it now that he's showing his true colours.'_

_'He showed his true colours the day she slapped the shit out of him and left him.'_

_'And good riddance to bad rubbish, too.'_

There was a sigh, and a phantom pressure against Remus's side, almost as though Sirius was leaning his weight against him for support. For a moment, he could almost feel the huff of breath against his hair, but then it was gone, although the pressure remained. _'I'm just glad all the drama's over. James isn't dating that Hufflepuff anymore, Hope and Dari are together instead of pining separately. There's Peter and Ariena, and I'm thanking all the gods that Merlin believed in that you forgave me and took me in. I think all of that and the war too would be too much.'_

_'It'll be okay, Siri...'_

_'I just wish I could believe that. Still,'_ came Siri's voice, changing the subject, and bringing with it a chaotic feel that it took a moment to adjust to. _'I can't believe she's teaching this when I'm not in class. Sweet Merlin, but I'm going to bugger it up big time.'_

_'If you need extra tutoring, you could always ask Bel for extra time.'_

_'You do realise we're the only of her students that can get away with calling her by her first name, either to her face or behind her back, don't you, Rem?'_ Sirius asked, and there was a touch of exhaustion to the sound of his voice. _'Bugger, I'm tired. I hate this. I hate being sick, and I hate missing Defence Against the Dark Arts, and I hate not being there to threaten Covington in person. I've been wanting to since the thing with Hope, you know. And I hate not being there with you, and I can't get it out of my head, what day it is.'_

Remus closed his eyes. _'I know, love. There's always next year. We can celebrate it properly.'_

_'Under the stars and sky with only you and me and the night, love? Shagging until we're exhausted and falling asleep together?'_

_'Mmm, it does sound lovely, doesn't it?'_

Then Professor Dartmouth had hopped off the desk and was right in front of him, "Remus, I'd like for you to volunteer to show the class what the Patronis looks like."

"What? Me?"

"Yes, you. I have my reasons, Lupin. First of all, I know you're taking notes for two, what with that mate of yours in the hospital wing, and he's probably whinging in your head about how he's bored and stuck there. Plus, I know the two of you need a distraction, and the most important reason, you're the person I trust most with it. Potter and Evans are too wrapped up in each other, and Pettigrew... this isn't his best subject. So come on, and tell me you'll volunteer."

"All right," he nodded and rose. "But I'll tell you, Sirius isn't whinging now."

"Why is that?"

"He's too afraid of you to even dare."

She chuckled low in her throat, and Remus smirked at the sounds of outrage coming from his mate at the sound of that. He rose from the chair and followed her to the front of the classroom. She spun, and the long reddish-coloured braid flopped across one breast.

"Now, aren't you a lucky lot because Remus has volunteered to do exactly what I tell him to do so none of you have to be the first up here to try and get it right," she turned then to Remus. "Okay, dear, try to concentrate on the happiest thought you've got, and when you think you have it, then use the incantation. Expecto Patronum, remember?"

He nodded and closed his eyes. He sensed Sirius peering with curiosity to see which memory he'd pick as the one that would power the Expecto Patronum spell; they had gone through the text the night before over sugar quills and chocolate frogs, and debated which memories would be most likely to power the spell the best. Finally, he smiled, and chose one.

_'Good memory, love.'_

_'Only the best for this spell.'_

It had been the previous Lupercalia. The bond had been active, and Sirius was nothing but miserable. Remus himself had been equally as miserable until that day, that day when he had awakened with the bittersweet knowledge. He kept that knowledge to himself, secret for the time, and watched Sirius all through the day. Then he had approached him after classes, drew him into one of the secret places across the castle that only the Marauders and their friends seemed to know existed, and told him so.

The look that had crossed Sirius's face. The fear was chased away by a flickering disbelief and joy. Then Remus had tossed all caution to the wind, pinned Sirius against the wall, and snogged him. There were no other words for that.

He could almost feel it again, the hands gripping his hips tighter the longer that it went on, the taste, the scent of his mate as he claimed him with lips and tongue and teeth, and then the unwelcome intrusion of air as Sirius pulled away. After that had come the rough voice telling him, "Happy Lupercalia, love" in a tone that made him want to tackle him to the ground and make it a Lupercalia proper.

He hadn't, and that's what had led to the situation for this one. He shook the thought from his mind and opened his eyes to see a form that was snapping its jaws threateningly at Professor Dartmouth. She just glanced at it with great amusement for a long moment before raising her eyes to meet his own.

"A Grim? Such an odd thing for a Patronis to be."

He grinned, "It makes perfect sense to me."

She looked at him for a moment, then she smiled, "That it would, Remus Lupin. That it would."

**~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~**

The rest of the Defence Against the Dark Arts class had gone similiarly well. Most of the rest of the class hadn't understood the joke between he and Bella, although Peter had muttered that he "should have known" that it would turn out to be Padfoot as his Patronis. However, his display had been swiftly forgotten when Bella had called upon James to let go of Lily's hand and come up to do his own Patronis.

The class had howled with laughter when it turned out to be Lily, and from the looks of things, an extremely hacked off Lily no less. James had grinned, winked, and played it up by pretending to cower behind her in fear, which had sent another round of laughter through the classroom. Bella tried to look annoyed, but she looked almost as amused as she had when Remus's Patronis had turned out to be what it was.

Lily's had been a fox. A vixen, she had corrected her boyfriend smoothly when he had said as much, but grinned before leaning over to kiss him. Ariena's had shocked Remus, as it was a wolf. A closer look showed it to be a genuine wolf, instead of a werewolf, and she had shrugged it off by saying that there was a wolf that trailed around the family lands and kept away all danger. Dari's was much the same, but Remus understood that, at least.

Sirius had joked that he would have thought that her Patronis would have been Hope, but told him not to tell her he had said so, for he suspected she would knock him out cold if she heard. Peter's had been a solid brick wall, which Bella had looked up at and grinned, declaring it to be simple, yet effective before releasing them all.

There was a long enough break between classes so that Remus thought it was safe enough to slip off to the hospital wing to see Sirius. It was quiet within as he pushed the door open, and peered around for Madam Pomfrey. As he didn't see her at first, he thought it was safe, so he slipped in and closed the door quietly behind him. Then he had taken one step, and he heard a voice behind him.

"Good afternoon, Mister Lupin."

He gulped, then turned, "Afternoon, Madam Pomfrey."

"I thought I told you when you came by this morning that it would not be safe to visit Mister Black until after he was well," she said, but was smiling as she said it.

_'But "Mister Black" is about to go fucking stir-crazy over here, matron!'_

Remus smiled inwardly at Sirius's complaint, "Yes, matron, I remember."

"Thankfully, Mister Lupin, your friend is doing his well best to drive the rest of the people who have to occupy this wing of the castle entirely mad, I will give you a little while," there was a widening of the smile as she spoke. "If only to give the rest of us a slight reprieve."

_'Oi!'_

Remus smiled, "Thank you, matron."

As he turned to go to Sirius, he heard a soft murmur of "No. Thank **you** , Lupin."

He smiled and strode through the hospital wing, and finally found the bed she had placed him in. With a sigh, he dropped into the chair beside it and twined his fingers with Sirius's. There was the opening of one eye, and he grinned before opening the other. With a weak cough, Sirius managed a "I was not that bad."

"You forget I know you, love," Remus replied. "Although you are probably right. You weren't that bad. You were **worse**."

"I will have you know I resemble that remark," he grumbled.

"Have you ever considered, Sirius, that that's precisely the problem?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Sirius muttered, before he started to cough. After the coughing fit was over, he let out a sigh, "You know, it's really no fun being around someone who got run over by a herd of rampaging hippogriffs, Remus."

Remus smiled slightly, "And who would that be?"

"Me, of course," Sirius commented, and pulled Remus towards him. The latter smiled and didn't fight the pull. Then that voice was muttering in his ear, a mischievous light to it, "So how did it feel, love, to have the Grim protecting you from all evil and Bella Dartmouth, too?"

"I don't know if I'd call that all evil."

"It was Patronis," Sirius muttered, "and with all the talk about the Dementors, I'd like to believe that that was close enough to all evil to count. So there. Still doesn't answer the question."

Remus smiled, "You know the answer to that question already."

"Do I?"

"Yes, now hush. I know it's difficult, but your voice doesn't sound like it can take much more of the abuse you're putting it through."

_'You're a cheeky bugger today, aren't you, love? I protest.'_

"And you do it so well, too," he grinned.

_'Answer?'_

"Fine," he exhaled sharply. "Answer. I think I knew what my Patronis would be long before I saw it. Why shouldn't it be Padfoot? Why shouldn't it be the Grim? After all, Padfoot has been protecting me for a long time, so I don't understand why it surprises you at all that I have him as my Patronis."

Sirius was silent, then, as he just stared at him, then a smile played about those lips. Remus grinned to see it; with one notable and already forgiven exception, Sirius Black had done nothing but make the attempt to protect him, even when he could protect himself. It was a point of contention between them more often than not, but after six years of knowing him, Remus had come to realise that it was just his way. If there was someone close to him, Sirius would go out of his way to protect them, and wouldn't stand for arguments on the subject.

That's when Sirius raised Remus's hand to his lips and delivered a faint kiss. At the first contact, the brush of the cracked lips against the back of his hand, Remus felt the sparks of sensation and squirmed. At the moment, given the day and the circumstances, his skin felt much too sensitive, and simple things that normally wouldn't cause such a reaction were doing precisely that. Today, he reminded himself. Only for today.

Sirius's eyes opened then, and he heard louder in that look than if the words had passed from Sirius's mind to his own that he wasn't the only one who was having a reaction to all of this. He wasn't the only one caught sensitive by the fact that it was another Lupercalia where they could do nothing. Less than nothing, it seemed, anyway, in comparison to the previous year.

_'Bloody illness. Bloody Lupercalia.'_

Remus couldn't help but agree with that. He bent to kiss Sirius, not caring in the slightest whether he got sick or not. Apparently his mate had the same idea, as he felt one of Sirius's hands clench in his hair as those lips parted beneath his. He didn't argue as the kiss deepened, and lasted for long moments where they explored each other's mouths before he finally broke away, panting for breath.

_'You know... this just made things a little harder to deal with.'_

Remus's lips curved into a smirk and he told Sirius mischievously, "I noticed."

Sirius's tongue came out and swept across his lips before he managed hoarsely, "I could tell you, Rem, that I don't like what you're insinuating, but you'd know I was lying, so I don't see the point in even trying."

"You're learning. Now hush."

"Make me?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

Remus just shook his head, "You're supposed to be sick and exhausted, Siri, so I really don't see..."

"What can I say? You bring out the best in me."

"I should have known better than to think that the silence would last. Even though you're sick. You're going to sound like that for the rest of your life if you don't stop."

"And how much would it bother you if I did?"

Remus looked at him for a long moment before he answered, "It would bother me a great deal, because I would remember what that voice of yours originally sounded like, and how it matched that smile you have, like the devil the Muggles speak of wrapped in a packaging that's different, unexpected, and just as pleasant to look at."

_'If you don't stop that, I'm going to be forced to rise from my sickbed and pounce you. And I doubt Pomfrey would like that too much.'_

Remus arched an eyebrow at him, "Like I'd care what she thought if I actually thought you had the energy? I know you, Padfoot. You wouldn't care if the Minister of Magic walked into the room and caught us shagging."

_'Your fault this time. Tease.'_

_'Well, as you have whinged about most of the morning and part of the afternoon, this wouldn't be necessary if you hadn't gotten sick this morning. We'd probably be far away from the hospital wing right now, and I doubt for certain we'd be talking.'_

_'Oh, sure, we'd be talking. Just not like this.'_

Remus smirked and casually leaned back on his mate's bed as he shot an image directly into his mind. He felt the jolt and the mental moan that went through him in response. Then he smirked, and asked in a low tone, _'Something like that?'_

_'Oh, yes. Precisely like that.'_

He closed his own eyes and basked in the image. Sirius bent over, his hands splayed against the nearest surface, moaning and telling him loudly how he wanted to be taken, and how hard. He opened one eye to see Sirius watching him intensely.

"Get out of here, Remus. Time for Potions."

"Like you care..."

"Well, either you get out of here, or we take the risk of Pomfrey catching me doing things that no sick person would truly be capable of. Or so she thinks. I believe that the sick can be inspired to wellness by amazing encouragement."

"You're suggesting I'm such an encouragement?"

_'Not suggesting. Stating as fact.'_

With effort, Remus rose and found where he had dropped his knapsack. He slung it over one shoulder and shifted his weight from one leg to the other, smiling at Sirius and trying to find the will to leave him there. Sirius looked at him with those eyes that so often were found on the face of his animagus form. Puppy-dog eyes, they were called; they pleaded, and they begged so prettily that he was tempted to give in. He smiled at the thought before pushing it away.

"Sirius, before I go..."

_'Yes?'_

"...there's something I have to say..."

_'Well, go on, then. You're stalling, love.'_

He sighed, and shifted again. "I know I am. I just wanted to tell you something. I just want you to know that I'm aware that you always are there to protect me, protect Peter, and the rest of us. Even when we don't need it, and even when we don't want it. When I don't want it," he corrected in a softer tone. "Know also that I appreciate it."

_'Happy anniversary to you too, love.'_

Remus smiled and couldn't keep the grin off his face. Then he turned to go, only he was stopped by the sound of that voice, running coarse and rough over his nerve endings.

"Know something, Remus, and this is precious enough to risk my voice. Know this. I will protect you, I will protect all of you, and any of our own for as long as I have breath. As long as I have the ability to protect us all, I'll be there. Count on it."

Remus exhaled sharply, then told him without turning, _I know you will, Sirius. As will I._

Without more than that, he strode out and away. He felt Sirius drift off to sleep, and he hoped that he was feeling better soon, because he could almost feel the scratchy, harsh, disgusting feeling of a sore throat that wouldn't go away. He caught himself musing along the same lines that Sirius had been musing earlier in the day, about how it was the most rotten of luck that he fall ill, today of all days.

Tonight of all nights.

He knocked on the door to let Madam Pomfrey know that he was leaving, and she nodded at him, waving distractedly from over her cauldron, and he headed out.

It wasn't until then that he realised he was running late for Potions. He somehow managed to find his way through the corridors of the castle without a problem until he ended up in the dungeons about two steps ahead of their Potions Master, and into his seat beside Peter. There was an empty seat where Sirius usually sat next to James, and it was that seat that the latter leaned across to talk to him.

"How is he?"

"Who?" Remus asked.

"Sirius, of course. Don't tell us you didn't go to see him," Peter responded absentmindedly as he reached for quill and parchment to take notes on. "We saw you on the map, and where else would you be, anyway?"

"Good point," Remus sighed. "He's okay. But you know how Sirius is..."

"Far too well," James retorted. "Let me guess. He's annoyed at being sick, and just wants to get out and cause mischief. Among other things that I won't mention because Remus, I. Do. Not. Wish. To. Know. Understood?"

"Understood, James," he smirked.

They all laughed then, and the Potions Master strode in and informed them of the potion they were going to be learning. They all sort of looked at each other, smirked, and Remus settled down to take notes, all the while listening to Sirius prattle on at him in his head.

_'We did this already,'_ came forth one such whine when it filtered through to Sirius that they were covering the Polyjuice potion. _'Remember? This was covered back in fourth year, and you and I brewed it to such perfection that...'_

_'We turned a lot of Slytherins into busty witches, yes, Sirius, I remember,'_ Remus reponded with a twitch of his lips. _'However, that was an... ah, independant study, and not one we shared with the rest of the school, being a Marauders-only expedition, if you will recall, Pads...'_

_'Oh... right...'_

Remus snickered. _'Forgot that, did you?'_

_'For a moment, yes. Oi, Remus, do you think you can smuggle me out of here? Just get Prongs's invisibility cloak and sneak up after hours and we'll be off and gone and back to the dorms in no time. Then you and me, in our bed, we'll do what we should have started already...'_

Remus was seriously considering it when the coughing fit came through their bond. He pressed his lips together and shook his head.

_'But love, this is **nothing**...'_

_'As much as I'd like to, Sirius, I don't think it's the risk to your health. What? Do you think I **like** being the responsible one? Bugger...'_ he muttered silently as he could feel the wolf roaming impatiently behind his mind.

_'This is almost as bad as when Bella forced us separate earlier in the year,'_ Sirius sighed. _'It was worse then, because I couldn't see you, I couldn't touch you, and they'd blocked us from each other's minds, but blimey, this is bad.'_ There was a moment of silence, and then Sirius murmured, _'I feel it too, you know.'_

At the sound of that, Remus nearly dropped the quill and growled. By sheer force of will, he kept from doing either. Instead, he continued taking frantic notes in a scrawl that was more like Sirius's than his own for the moment. Then he concentrated with part of his mind on an image playing in his mind, and then when he thought he could, he shot it out to his mate.

There was the sound of a faint moan, then: _'Bloody hell... Moony, stop that. You're not helping.'_

_'Then behave, and we'll see what we can do. Until tonight.'_

Sirius Black, in a rare moment of obedience, managed somehow to stay silent throughout the rest of classes that day.

**~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~**

By the time moonrise arrived, Sirius Black was going stir-crazy.

The fact that this was Lupercalia and he was caged in the hospital wing was driving both he and his lover more than a little mad. He had done nothing but complain about it for the whole of the day, and Remus had made it clear that he wasn't the only one suffering. Sirius turned on his side and stared out the window at the close approaching nightfall, and tried not to think about the suggestions from earlier. The suggestions came more in the form of the sensory than the verbal.

That only made things worse. And harder.

Not only that, but the potion had apparently done its work finally, and he was feeling perfectly healthy and ready to leave already. He didn't want to spend a night cooped up in here, not when he was used to other sleeping arrangements. Although, from the mutters Remus had been giving earlier, there wouldn't be much sleeping done this night.

Sirius let out an exasperated sigh and rolled over again.

"Mister Black?" came the voice of the matron, and he looked up at her.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey?"

"As you apparently seem to be perfectly well, I am going to do something I feel I might regret. However, for the sake of my sanity and the sanity of my patience, I am letting you out of the Hospital Wing tonight."

Sirius grinned and sat up, starting to say something, but she held up a single finger, and smiled slightly.

"On one condition, Mister Black."

"What is it? I'll do it. Anything."

She chuckled for some unknown reason and told him, "All I ask is that you check back in with me in the morning. While you appear to be cured, I can't take the chance that you might infect other students. Just in case you are still infected, do bring Mister Lupin back with you."

"But, wha--"

"Mr. Black, I am not as blind as the students like to believe me. Good night."

Then she was gone.

As soon as he was certain she would not reappear, Sirius was out of the bed and reaching for the articles of clothing he had had to give up when entering the hospital wing. As soon as he was dressed, he made his way out of the hospital wing as swiftly as possible. His path was lit only by the dim remnants of the daylight hours, and the flickering torches that lined the corridors.

Eventually, he would thank Merlin that none of the staircases had been playing up that evening, but he couldn't say he was giving them much thought at the moment; they were just a method to get him back to Gryffindor Tower where Moony was waiting for him.

When finally he made it to the Gryffindor Tower entrance, he stood up and murmured softly the password to the Fat Lady, and she chuckled at his whimsy before swinging open. He leapt up through the entrance, and headed around the corner before he heard the conversation and stopped in his tracks.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Remus?"

"Yes, I'm sure," but there was a bite to that tone. A sharpness that Sirius recognised, and he leaned his head against the wall, trying to stay as still as possible. "Go on to bed, James. Lily's waiting for you, isn't she?"

There was a nervous tone to James's voice as he answered in the affirmative. Then there was a chuckle, a low deep chuckle that had Sirius gritting his teeth to keep from growling out loud. Then there were the words that followed, "Oh, come on, Jamie, don't look at me like that. I don't bite."

_'At least I don't bite those that aren't begging for it,'_ came that voice in the back of his mind again. There was a moment's pause before he continued, _'I'm just trying to scare him away, Sirius. You have nothing to worry about.'_

The voice was louder, somehow; It seemed deeper, and more vivid than it had even during the day, and the undertones weren't helping in the slightest. Sirius shifted uncomfortably as he waited for Prongs to get the message and go upstairs.

_'He asks me if I'm sure I don't want company while I sit down here alone while everyone else is up in the dorms, sleeping. He asks me this, and doesn't know what I would be doing down here while he's safe in his bed with Lily. He wouldn't want to, either.'_

_'What would you be doing, lover?'_

Then he showed him, just as he had earlier in the day, and Sirius clenched his hands into fists to keep from pouncing right then and there.

Finally, he heard James thump up the stairs, and things fell silent. Sirius moved to peer around the wall, only to have a strong hand reach out and pull him out from his hiding place only to press him against the wall again. Then those lips slanted across his own, and he parted his own automatically as they attempted to devour one another.

_'Wanted this all day. **All** day...'_ came Remus's voice in his mind as strong hands grasped hips and pulled them tightly against his own.

_'Yes.'_

Then those lips and tongue withdrew and there was teasing bites, little more than nips along his neck, and he tilted his head to one side to allow Remus better access.

_'This is how we were supposed to start Lupercalia,'_ Remus muttered. _'With you spread out beneath me, ripe for the taking.'_

"And had I had my way about it, I would have been," Sirius growled, and felt lips hover over his throat for the briefest of moments.

Then hands were gone, and those teasing lips and tongue gone with it. He whimpered and reached for him, only to find fingers working at the robes, tearing them away, taking the shirt with it. Sirius' flared jeans were pulled down and Sirius kicked them away, having no further use for them. Then Remus was on his knees, almost studying the erection jutting out to meet him as though it was the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen.

Firm hands latched onto his hips, holding him still as Remus licked just the tip, swirling his tongue, and dipping into the slit before pulling away. Those hands holding him still were the only thing keeping him from arching forward. He groaned, and looked away from his lover's motions; he'd go mad if he continued watching. Then, so slowly it drove him mad, he felt the heat of Remus' mouth surrounding him.

"Tease," he managed to croak.

_'I'm just showing you some of the things I'd like to have done to you today. All day. Through potions, I thought about this. Defence Against the Dark Arts was so near a disaster I don't want to think about it... I don't remember either Charms or Transfiguration, even though I know I was there. I just remember this. I remember you.'_

Sirius closed his eyes tightly and turned his head to one side, his fists clenching against the wall. He could still feel the humid heat of his lover's mouth wrapped around him and he wanted to whimper, cry, arch into that. Those hands released his hips as his lover chose instead to trail fingers along his thighs, and he was free to do precisely that. Remus drew back then, trailing his tongue along the underside of his cock.

"Please," he groaned. "Please."

_'I want to savour you,'_ the hint of growl to that mental tone sent a shiver down his spine.

"Then savour me. I'm all yours."

_'Yes. Mine.'_

The words intensified the spark that had been building between the two of them, and Sirius closed his eyes as Remus took his cock deeper into his mouth, harder and he could almost feel the whisper of teeth against him; the sensation was gone before it even truly had a chance to begin, replaced against by lips, tongue and that perfect heat.

_'More...'_

A slight humming sensation set up around his cock, and his hands flew from where he had been bracing them against the wall to plunge into Remus' hair. They set up a steady rhythm, but for Sirius, the build-up had been going on far too intensely, for too long, and he was biting his bottom lip to keep from screaming and waking everyone upstairs by shouting Remus' name. The scream echoed through his mind, probably down through that bond they had, and only faded out when he slid down the wall to collapse in a boneless heap upon the floor.

Moments later, he felt the weight of another stretching over him. He wondered briefly how he'd gotten on his back, but the thought fled when he opened his eyes to see Remus hovering over him, a self-satisfied smirk on his face, and a banked hunger in those eyes.

"All day, eh?" he asked groggily.

" **All** day..." Remus replied before lowering his lips to kiss him. When Sirius kissed back, he was almost shocked at the sharp, almost bitter taste of himself left behind. Just when he'd realised what it was, Remus pulled back with a purely wicked grin.

"I could get used to this," Sirius managed after a moment.

"I hope we get the chance to."

"Happy Lupercalia, love..."

Sirius' energy had returned, and he meant for the words to be some sort of warning for his lover. Apparently, though, the element of surprise was in his favour, for Remus was on his back with Sirius delivering gentle nips to his exposed neck before he realised what was going on.

"Oh no, you don't..."

Then he growled, which sent a chill running down his spine. Sirius looked up to see hungry eyes fixed on his before one hand curled around his neck to pull him down for another long snog. Only after Sirius was fairly certain what remained of his brain had melted did Remus release him.

"You've just been ill, Sirius. We can't have you straining yourself, can we?"

"Oh no," Sirius breathed. "No, we can't have that."

Remus manuevered them so that Sirius was again on his back, with his thighs outside of Remus' own. He could feel the weight of his lover pressing into him, and the erection jabbing him in the hip. Privately, he wondered where his lover had gotten his stamina from. He set the thought aside though, and tried to persuade Remus out of the rest of his clothing.

It didn't take much persuasion.

Sirius' fingers made short work of the robes, and they joined Sirius' own, far away from where they were laying. Remus helped Sirius remove the shirt, and after it was pulled over his head, he dove in for a few nips at Sirius' neck. He arched, and tilted his head to one side, even as he tried to concentrate long enough to undo the trousers his lover was still wearing.

Once they were gone, Remus turned his attention to Sirius' nipples, licking and biting until they were hard nubs, and Sirius was squirming under him. There was a faint murmur, the feel of magic in the air, and something colliding with Remus' hand. When he opened his eyes again, he saw a triumphant gleam in Remus' eyes, and the lubricant that they had managed to acquire in preparation for this.

"Yes?"

"Oh, yes. I've been waiting over a year for this."

Remus leaned in, bit at his nose, and met Sirius' lips with his own again. Sirius jolted in surprise when he felt the wet pressure.

_'Relax...'_

By concentrating on the kiss, Sirius was able to do that, and jolted again, in pleasure. He pulled away from the kiss and groaned, "Oh, what was that? Do that again..."

Those wicked fingers moved again, and he closed his eyes, even as he arched upwards. "Yes..."

"Ready?"

"I've been ready all day."

Then those fingers were gone, and Sirius nearly whimpered at the loss. He heard a mental nudge to roll over, and he did so, only to feel the weight of his lover draped across his back. Then -- yes -- there was the pressure of Remus where his fingers had been, and slowly he pressed inside. Sirius closed his eyes and prepared to wait out the discomfort. Kisses and near bites were scattered along the nape of his neck, and he relaxed further.

Remus chose that moment to move his hips just so, and that sparked that same sensation those questing fingers had discovered earlier. He groaned and tried to move backwards for more of that, and Remus began to move. Those slow strokes didn't take long to speed into fast, shallow thrusts. Sirius tried to grasp the flooring, but found that it would not give. He pushed back, meeting each thrust as it came.

The pleasure continued building until it was on the edge of pain, and he could feel Remus shaking behind him. He bowed his head, and felt those teeth bite into his shoulder. That was just another encouragement that was followed by another pleasurable thrust. Fingers curled around him, and he groaned out something that might have been gibberish or might have been Remus' name as his lover set up a stroking motion that almost matched their rhythm.

"Please..."

"What?"

_'Harder. Now.'_

There was a thrust that nearly slammed him into the flooring, and he was on the edge. He heard a faint whisper that might have been through the bond or spoken into the bitten skin of his shoulder, a directive to come. With a few more thrusts, Sirius could no longer deny either of them that, and for the second time that night, he tried to prevent himself from screaming as he came. Moments later, he felt the hot wash inside him as Remus followed him over the edge, and they collapsed on the floor in one sweaty heap.

Long moments passed in silence like that, before he felt Remus slide from his body. He whimpered, pressing his forehead against the floor, and he felt fingers sliding through his hair, "I know, love. I know."

Then even the weight of Remus was gone, but before Sirius could protest, he was back, and there was the soft whisper of "Scourigify". The cleaning spell. Of course. He brought a warm blanket for both of them to curl in until they felt like moving back up to the dorms.

"We could stay like this until morning," Sirius murmured as he curled up beside Remus.

"We could," there was a smile in that voice. "We could stay here and take the risk of traumatising James when he comes down for breakfast. Or Peter."

"Actually, that sounds like fun," Sirius smirked. "Traumatising Jamie."

"It does," Remus said, placing his lips against the mark he had inadvertantly made while biting at Sirius' neck. "Or we could take the risk that Dari will come down and catch us with her camera again."

"We'd never hear the end of that."

"So still want to stay here all night?"

"I still don't care."

"Good."

"Remus?"

"Hmm?"

"We should have spent Lupercalia like this last year," Sirius said sleepily. "I mean, I know there was a lot of things we had to do then, but we shouldn't have waited as long as we did."

"I know. The waiting was driving me mad, too."

"So next time you have to do your Patronis, do you think that memory you were using earlier today will have changed?"

"What do you think it should have changed to, Mr. Padfoot?"

"Why, Mr. Moony, this, of course."

"Why don't you wait and see what my Patronis should be?"

"That sounds like a plan..." Sirius murmured as he drifted off to sleep. He felt a light kiss against his forehead, just under the fringe, and then he wasn't aware of anything else.

It had been a good Lupercalia, despite how it had began. As for everything else building, it would take care of itself.

**~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~** ~ **~**

-end-


End file.
